Wake County superintendent highlights test-score gains, rising graduation rates and expanded student supports

Dr. Robert P. Taylor, superintendent of the Wake County Public School System, used his second State of the Schools address to outline gains in academic performance, expanded student supports and the financial pressures that could reshape the district's priorities.

"Students are learning the skills they will need to succeed in a world increasingly shaped by technology and artificial intelligence," Taylor said, describing a visit to a computer science class where students tested ideas, troubleshot errors and explained reasoning to one another.

Taylor reported that state performance data for the 2024–25 school year showed the district's overall academic proficiency improved for a third consecutive year. He said elementary and middle school math proficiency rose by 10.2 percentage points, grade three math rose nearly two points, and high school math increased by more than seven points. More than half of schools earned an A or B performance grade, and the number of schools receiving an F dropped to two.

The superintendent also emphasized outcomes beyond test scores. He said the four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2024 was 90.6% (about 12,600 graduates) and the five-year rate rose to 93.1%, the highest in district history.

Taylor highlighted Career and Technical Education gains, reporting more than 38,000 high-school and 26,000 middle-school students enrolled in CTE courses, and that students earned more than 33,000 industry-recognized credentials last year. He said about 70% of CTE concentrators graduate with both a diploma and a credential aligned to a college or career pathway and that CTE concentrators report nearly 99% positive placement within six months.

"We have added counselors, behavioral health specialists, and instructional leaders who help students succeed every single day," Taylor said in describing expanded student supports. He told the audience that the district's school-based mental-health program has grown from 124 to 150 participating schools, with more than 1,200 referrals so far and roughly 530 students currently receiving services. The district plans to issue a request for proposals to add at least five community mental-health providers to expand services.

On teacher quality, Taylor noted strong engagement with national board certification: 162 newly certified educators in December and 356 renewals, contributing to more than 3,250 Wake County teachers who have earned the certification.

Safety also featured in the speech. Taylor pointed to a clear-bag policy at large events, a new visitor-management system, training in the Say Something anonymous reporting system and a plan to implement the Standard Response Protocol districtwide. He praised Officer Marcus Kirk, a Raleigh Police Department school resource officer assigned to Millbrook Magnet High School, for a decisive response after a student used the Say Something system to report a possible firearm on campus.

Taylor closed by emphasizing that sustaining progress will require the community to confront rising costs. "Every year, it costs more simply to maintain the level of service we already provide to students," he said, warning that federal and state funding uncertainty and rising transportation and utility costs mean the district will face difficult choices.

The superintendent ended by acknowledging board members, elected officials and community partners and asking for continued partnership to preserve and advance district gains.